Devolo GigaGate: 2 gigs per second, cheaper than Netgear Orbi

Futureproof your home network with this Wi-Fi-to-ethernet bridge for 4K, gaming and high-res audio

As well as Wi-Fi extenders, powerline AV and ever more powerful routers, there's a new weapon in your anti-deadspot arsenal: high-end Wi-Fi bridges.

Netgear has Orbi, BT has Whole Home Wi-Fi. Now Devolo has GigaGate, which uses a slightly different approach to solve the same problem: that your router is in a basement or cupboard, far away from your mega-techy multi-media setup.

You plug the GigaGate Base station into your router, plug the GigaGate Satellite in your lounge, games room, 'man cave' or whatever.

The Base connects to the Satellite via Wi-fi. But not just any old Wi-Fi, uh-uh. This is point-to-point, beam formed, 4x4, 5Ghz AC, ooh yeah.

You then use trusty, boring old ethernet to connect your TV, console, streamer and so on to the Satellite.

The GigaGate has one Gigabit ethernet output for speeds of 'up to 2Gbits per second' (with a following wind, downhill, in optimum conditions) and four fast ethernet ports for up to 300Mbps-ish

That is quite enough for video and audio applications and the gaming habits of people who don't own liquid-cooled PCs in a case shaped like a Terminator skull, with external graphics cards.

You can also use the GigaGate as an N Wi-Fi extender, but its primary purpose is to ferry data to AV and gaming kit via wired connections.

So far, we've got as far as plugging in our review boxes and in just two attempts, they did indeed 'plug and play'. Now we shall wait a few hours while the beam forming Wi-Fi magically acquires the fastest possible connection.